I Dig Sports
The Olympic 5000m finalist tells Katy Barden about his simple and traditional approach to training
Innovations in science and technology have influenced athletes hugely, but Olympic 5000m runner Andy Butchart’s approach to training is simple and traditional.
“For me, it’s about cumulative weeks of hard work rather than fancy sessions and drills,” he says. “I think the way to perform at an elite level is to find the training methods that work best for you and applying them.
“Then, if the training you’re doing isn’t working for you, it’s having the courage to change the training and to test something else.”
AW: What are the essential components of training at this time of year?
“I go into training with a positive mindset, it’s like I fake fitness,” he admits. “I’ll say to myself ‘I’ve done 10 weeks at 100 miles a week so I’m going to be fit’.
“I might not have done anything at race pace, but I’ve got a huge base. I focus less on race pace at this time of year than the summer.
“When it comes to the summer we’ll be on the clock and that’s all well and good, but you have to have a balance – especially in January – of effort rather than times.”
AW: Favourite session at this time of year?
“I love a ladder (pyramid) session. At this time of year it’s on the grass and it’s not about how fast I run, but how much effort I put in, which is why I like it.
“I also love a ladder session on the road. I can really motor and can run really quickly, surprisingly fast to be honest, and I can go home after that session and know I’m in good shape.”
AW: Least favourite?
“Sometimes a Sunday run can drag. If I’m on my own it can definitely be the most tedious.”
Having the courage to make a change
A lot has changed in the past 12 months for Butchart; he thought his immediate future lay in America after moving to San Diego to work under coach Terrence Mahon.
With the relationship not proving to be a fruitful one, however, he then relocated back to the UK with his girlfriend – now fiancée – Lynsey Sharp and both athletes are now settled in Loughborough.
Taking his own advice, the man from Dunblane had the courage to make a change when things weren’t working out.
By Butchart’s own admission, last year was a big year. This year is a bigger one.
A TYPICAL JANUARY TRAINING WEEK
Butchart, who trains mainly alone but is currently to be found at a training camp in Kenya with the likes of Mo Farah, will average around 105 miles per week at this time of year, with the emphasis on building a big training base going into the summer.
MONDAY: am – 10 miles; pm – 5 miles (“a very relaxing day”)
TUESDAY: am – session day. “I always like to do fartlek sessions on the grass. For example, 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 minutes (off 60sec recovery) followed by gym; pm – 5 miles
WEDNESDAY: Medium to long run, 12 miles approx, plus physio
THURSDAY: am – 10 miles; pm – 5 miles
FRIDAY: Session e.g. 4 miles tempo then 8-10 x 200m
SATURDAY: am – 10 miles; pm – 5 miles
SUNDAY: Long run, about 16 miles
“I find that I get a lot of my form from hill work,” says Butchart. “Once or twice a month I’ll exchange the Tuesday session for hills, but I sometimes just add hills in, like on a Thursday, I might just finish the run with 8×30-second hills. I wouldn’t call it a session, it’s just striding out, holding form.”
Butchart also does core most nights from home (“it’s literally just stuff off YouTube,” he says; “it’s not rocket science”).
Fascination of table tennis, women’s last four proves point
Zeng Jian, the no.10 seed, caused a major third round upset. She beat Sakura Mori, the no.7 seed and winner on the 2017 ITTF World Tour in India (8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5), before at the quarter-final stage ousting Romania’s Irina Ciobanu, the no.11 seed (11-8, 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5).
The close to the table shake hands grip counter attacking style prevailed; short quite strokes, trademark Asian style.
Very different
Likewise both Honoka Hashimoto and Yang Xiaoxin adopt the shake-hands grip but they are as different as chalk and cheese. The classic backspin technique utilised by Honoka Hashimoto, the no.3 seed, proved too secure for her Russia’s Olga Vorobeva, the no.14 seed (11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5), as it did in the next round for her 15 year old compatriot Satsuki Odo, the no.8 seed (11-8, 11-7, 11-2, 11-6).
Very much the opposite to Honoka Hashimoto, just as Zeng Jian enjoyed success close to the table with attacking play, so did Yang Xiaoxin, the no.4 seed; she accounted for Japan’s Maki Shiomi, the no.9 seed (11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-4, 12-14, 12-10, 11-6), before ending the hopes of Russia’s Mariia Tailakova, the no.13 seed (11-6, 12-10, 7-11, 14-12, 11-8).
Similar to Zeng Jian; not all Yang Xiaoxin is very different, she uses long pimpled rubber on the backhand as opposed to Zeng Jian who has the smooth racket covering on each side of the racket.
Pen-hold style
Three different styles, now the fourth; Shan Xiaona is also right handed but she is a pen-holder, an expert close to the table, short pimpled rubber, predominantly using one side of the racket only, creating angles and forcing errors.
On the penultimate day of play, she accounted for colleague Wan Yan, the no.30 seed (11-9, 15-13, 11-6, 11-13, 13-11), before ending the hopes of Japan’s Saki Shibata, the no.2 seed (9-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5).
More interesting
So more styles of play were evident in Granada in the women’s competition than in the men’s singles where four attacking shake-hands grip players in the guise of Benedikt Duda, Benedek Olah, Steffen Mengel and Kirill Gerassimenko, all using the smooth reversed rubber on each side of the racket, advanced to the last four.
Therefore does that mean the greater variety, the women’s game is interesting to watch?
Shan Xiaona shines, German hopes very much alive
The no.22 seed, Steffen Mengel accounted for Italy’s Leonardo Mutti, the no.32 seed (11-9, 11-4, 11-6, 11-6) and Portugal’s João Geraldo, the no.16 seed, to reserve his place in the penultimate round.
Similarly, Benedikt Duda progressed without the need for a deciding seventh game. The top seed, in the third round he beat colleague Cedric Meissner (11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-5), prior to ending the hopes of Sweden’s Anton Källberg, the no.6 seed (11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 7-11, 12-10, 12-10).
Impressive but if there was one member of the group to impress it was Shan Xiaona.
In the third round she accounted for Wang Yuan, the no.30 seed and also from Germany (11-9, 15-13, 11-6, 11-13, 13-11), before causing the biggest upset of the day. She ousted Japan’s Saki Shibata, the no.2 seed, the 22 year old seeking her sixth career ITTF Challenge Series women’s singles title. A most comprehensive performance; Shan Xiaona prevailed in six games (9-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5).
Semi-finals
At the semi-final stage Shan Xiaona meets Monaco’s Yang Xiaoxin, the no.4 seed; in the opposite half of the draw, Singapore’s Zeng Jian, the no.10 seeds, confronts Japan’s Honoka Hashimoto, the no.3 seed.
Yang Xiaoxin reserved her last four place by beating Japan’s Mariia Tailakova, the no.13 seed (11-6, 12-10, 7-11, 14-12, 11-8), Zeng Jian overcame Romania’s Irina Ciobanu, the no.11 seed (11-8, 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5), Honoka Hashimoto ended the hopes of compatriot Satsuki Odo, the no.8 seed (11-8, 11-7, 11-2, 11-6).
Meanwhile, in the men’s singles semi-finals Benedek Duda faces Finland’s Benedek Olah, the no.13 seed; for Steffen Mengel, Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko, the no.2 seed awaits. At the quarter-final stage, Benedek Duda beat Romania’s Rares Sipos (1-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6), Kirill Gerassimenko halted the aspirations of the host nation’s Alvaro Robles, the no.5 seed.
Iranian brothers prevail
A men’s singles quarter-final defeat for Alvaro Robles, partnering compatriot Carlos Caballero in the men’s doubles it was farewell one round later; the no.3 seeds, they were beaten by Iran’s Nima Alamian and Noshad Alamiyan, the top seeds (9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 15-13, 11-5). In the final the Iranian brothers meet Korean Republic qualifiers, Baek Kwangil and Park Chan-Hyeok; they reserved their place in the title decider courtesy of success in opposition to Italy’s Leonardo Mutti and Niagol Stoyanov, the no.6 seeds (11-8, 11-8, 3-11, 15-13).
Success for Iran and Korea Republic; in the women’s doubles it was success upon success for Japan.
Satsuki Odo and Saki Shibata, the top seeds, oppose Honoka Hashimoto and Maki Shiomi, the no.2 seeds. In the semi-final round Satsuki Odo and Saki Shibata beat Singapore’s Goi Rui Xuan and Zeng Jian, the no.4 seeds (11-8, 11-5, 11-6), Honoka Hashimoto and Maki Shiomi overcame Germany’s Nina Mittelham and Shan Xiaona, the no.3 seeds (11-6, 11-8, 11-6).
Champions crowned
Titles to be decided, on the penultimate day of play two titles were decided. Romania’s Rares Sipos, the no.2 seed, beat Germany’s Meng Fanbo, the no.26 seed (11-2, 6-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7) to win the under 21 men’s singles event; Japan’s Maki Shiomi, the top seed, secured the under 21 women’s singles crown, in the final she overcame Romania’s Adina Diaconu, the no.3 seed (11-7, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9).
Notably for Maki Shiomi it was her second such title in now four finals; last year she was the runner up in Canada and Indonesia, the winner in Paraguay. It was a first under 21 men’s singles final for Rares Sipos.
Play concludes on Sunday 8th February when the semi-finals and finals of the men’s singles and women’s singles events will be played in addition to the men’s doubles and women’s doubles finals.
Horacio Cifuentes on fire, electric performance
One year earlier Nikhil Kumar had been one of the stars of the tournament, only 16 years old at the time, expected to disappear from proceedings in the group stage, he reached the quarter-finals. Equally last year on the ITTF World Junior Circuit he had excelled, very much a name to note, a young man most capable of upsetting the order of merit.
Against Horacio Cifuentes, he found a player in form and perhaps with an extra source of motivation.
In the immediate preceding contest his colleague, colleague Gaston Alto, the no.9 seed and the player with whom Horacio Cifuentes had sensationally won the men’s doubles title last year at the 2019 ITTF Challenge Series Polish Open, had departed proceedings. He had suffered at the hands of Mexico’s Marcos Madrid, the no.5 seed (11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 14-12).
Likewise, he was a player with a debt to settle, last year he had been a group stage victim of Nikhil Kumar (7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 6-11, 14-12, 11-6) and had thus not progressed to the main draw.
Homework completed
Horacio Cifuentes was well aware of the quality of his adversary. On their first meeting, at the 2018 ITTF Pan American Championships in Santiago, in the men’s team event, he had suffered a resounding straight games defeat. Last year he found answers, he beat Nikhil Kumar in the same competition at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games and later in the year in Asuncion in the men’s singles at the ITTF-Pan America Championships.
“Nikhil is very good in his short game, the first time we played he killed me, he easily beat me 3-0 but after that analysing the matches I knew I had to play long because his short game is better than mine. I tried always to return with the banana or play long and counter attack. Last year was very good for all of us not just for me, I think with so many competitions and now being in Europe I believe that it gives you an advantage, you start to know how to face situations in crucial matches.” Horacio Cifuentes
In Guaynabo Horacio Cifuentes was simply too fast with the first attack, he moved well, throughout he was well balanced and anticipated his adversary’s moves. Always Nikhil Kumar was under pressure, errors accrued, self-belief drained away; Horacio Cifuentes had excelled, a superb performance.
Now in the biggest test of all awaits; at the quarter-final stage Horacio Cifuentes faces Brazil’s Hugo Calderano, the top seed and defending champion.
Status justified top eight reach quarter-finals
by Ian Marshall, Editor
Occupying the no.6 seeded position in the women’s event, she eventually overcame Chile’s Daniela Ortega, the no.9 seed (11-8, 9-11, 13-15, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3, 11-9) thus brought a trilogy of success for the host nation to a positive conclusion.
Earlier in the evening, younger sister, Adriana Diaz, the top seed and defending champion had beaten Brazil’s Jessica Yamada, the no.11 seed (11-5, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8), immediately following, cousin Brian Afanador had succeeded in the men’s competition. He overcame Guatemala’s Kevin Montufar, the no.15 seed (11-4, 11-4, 11-5, 11-3).
Three wins for Puerto Rico as expected; the only reverse was also as to be anticipated; in the men’s event, Hector Berrios experienced defeat when facing Kanak Jha of the United States, the no.2 seed and runner up one year ago (11-3, 11-6, 11-7, 11-4).
Comprehensive wins
A comprehensive win for Kanak Jha; it was the same for Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi, the no.3 seed and for Paraguay’s Marcelo Aguirre, the no.4 seed. Gustavo Tsuboi beat Canada’s Marko Medjugorac, the no.13 seed (11-6, 9-11, 15-13, 11-6, 11-4), Marcelo Aguirre overcame the Dominican Republic’s Emil Santos, the no.12 seed (11-9, 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6).
Rather differently, for Hugo Calderano, the top seed and like Gustavo Tsuboi also from Brazil, in his quest to win the title for a third consecutive year, he endured testing times. He had to recover from a two games to one deficit to beat Canada’s Jeremy Hazin, the no.10 seed (8-11, 11-3, 5-11, 11-7, 11-0, 11-8).
Men’s Singles: Quarter-Finals, Order of Play (seeded positions in brackets)
- 11.00 Gustavo Tsuboi v Albero Miño
- 12.40 Marcos Madrid v Kanak Jha
- 17.00 Hugo Calderano v Horacio Cifuentes
- 18.40 Brian Afanador v Marcelo Aguirre
Eventual success for the top four names in the men’s event, it was the same in the women’s. In addition to Adriana Diaz, Lily Zhang of the United States, the no.2 seed, beat Guatemala’s Mabelyn Enriquez, the no.13 seed (11-1, 11-5, 11-1, 11-2), colleague Wu Yue the no.3 seed, ousted Canada’s Sophie Gauthier, the no.15 seed.
Not to be outdone, Zhang Mo, the no.4 seed, ended the hopes of the Dominican Republic’s Eva Brito, the no.14 seed (11-2, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6).
Women’s Singles: Quarter-Finals, Order of Play (seeded positions in brackets)
- 11.50 Paulina Vega v Wu Yue
- 13.30 Zhang Mo ) v Bruna Takahashi
- 17.50 Melanie Diaz v Lily Zhang
- 19.30 Adriana Diaz v Yadira Silva
The quarter-finals of both the men’s and women’s events will be played to a conclusion on Saturday 8th February.
Former champions Marwan and Miguel make Motor City exits
Mohamed ElSherbini takes out Miguel Rodriguez Pictures: HENRY PAYNE
Top seed Elias rises above Motor City mayhem
By MATT SCHOCH – Squash Mad Correspondent
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan – There will be a new champion at the 21st annual Motor City Open presented by Sturbridge Capital this weekend at Birmingham Athletic Club.
Two more former champs, #2 seed Marwan ElShorbagy and #4 seed Miguel Rodriguez, went down in upsets Friday courtesy of, respectively, #7 seed Leo Au and Mohamed ElSherbini. The latter will join France’s Benjamin Aubert as unseeded players in the final four Saturday. Meanwhile, top seed Diego Elias of Peru cruised.
The evening featured two epic matches and two quick dispatches – the latter pair ending in under 30 minutes.
There was little drama for World #6 Elias as he easily downed eight-seed Cesar Salazar of Mexico, 11-8, 11-2, 11-3 in 29 minutes.
“We’ve played so many times and I know he’s always a tough player, he had a tough match (Thursday),” said Elias, who is being coached this week by his father, Jose, and two-time MCO champion Jonathon Power. “I just wanted to play smart and with a lot of pace, and I think it worked.”
There was high drama elsewhere on the Birmingham Athletic Club courts as Benjamin Aubert of France and Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi of Qatar battled for five games and 100 minutes.
Aubert won the first two games 13-11 and 11-5 and fought off a game ball in the third in dramatic fashion – the Frenchman going behind the back to keep a ball alive while Al Tamimi pulled a full-length dive in a point that Aubert eventually won. Al Tamimi would take the game 14-12, then the next, 15-13, in another nailbiter.
Al Tamimi suffered an ankle injury in the fifth game. After play resumed, Aubert took control – finishing off his opponent 11-3 and falling to the ground in jubilation.
“I am very happy,” said Aubert, after making three calls home to France to his parents, grandparents, and girlfriend after the match. “I felt bad for him (after the injury).
“It was a very tough match. I’m shaking. We’re both athletic players, so I had to make him work harder physically. In the front, he was so talented … it worked at the end because I was more focused and more fresh physically.”
Unseeded ElSherbini of Egypt provided perhaps the tourney’s biggest surprise as he easily dispatched 2015 MCO champion and #4 seed Rodriguez of Colombia, 11-3, 11-4, 11-8.
Seven-seed Leo Au of Hong Kong took out the 2018 MCO champion ElShorbagy of Egypt in 86 minutes, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11.
“I think because I don’t have pressure because he’s the higher seed, I just relaxed and play,” Au said. “At the end it was 50-50. It was very close.”
In a tense game five, Au and world #8 ElShorbagy were tied, at 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, before Au earned the win. He said it was one of the best victories of his career.
“I’m really happy for my result,” Au said. “Now I have to get myself prepared, recover well, and stay focused.”
In Saturday’s semis, Elias will play Aubert, while ElSherbini takes on Au. Based on the way things have been going, it’s anyone’s guess who will claim the championship – although we know it’ll be a new man gaining first-time MCO glory.
“You never know, on the court it’s one man against one man,” Aubert said. “Everything can happen.”
PSA World Tour Silver $76,000 Men’s Motor City Open presented by Sturbridge Capital, Birmingham Athletic Club, Bloomfield Hills, Detroit, USA.
Quarter-finals:
[1] Diego Elias (PER) beat [8] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-8, 11-2, 11-3
Benjamin Aubert (FRA) beat [9/16] Abdulla Al-Tamimi (QAT) 13-11, 11-5, 14-12, 13-15, 11-3
[9/16] Mohamed Elsherbini (EGY) beat [4] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) 11-3, 11-4, 11-8
[7] Leo Au (HKG) beat [2] Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) 8-11, 11-6, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11
Saturday schedule, Semi-finals:
[1] Diego Elias (PER) v Benjamin Aubert (FRA) 5pm, Court 3
[9/16] Mohamed Elsherbini (EGY) v [7] Leo Au (HKG) 6pm, Court 3
Final: Sunday, 5:30pm
Pictures by HENRY PAYNE courtesy of MCO
Millbridge & KKM Awarding Another Chili Bowl Ride
SALISBURY, N.C. – After a successful inaugural run in 2018, Millbridge Speedway officials confirmed Friday afternoon that the Keith Kunz Motorsports Giveback Classic presented by Toyota Racing Development will return to the sixth-mile dirt oval, Nov. 2-4.
On the line, just as it was in the inaugural edition of the race, will be a guaranteed Chili Bowl ride from Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports.
A $10,000 bonus will be on offer should a driver decline the KKM Chili Bowl seat.
“For 2020, we got together with Jeremy and Ashly Burnett at Millbridge, and decided to have the KKM Giveback Classic presented by TRD again,” Kunz relayed Friday from Bubba Raceway Park. “It’ll be more of a format like we’re used to with midgets (on a regular basis).
“We want to see the guys qualify, so there will be qualifying, which is unusual for the micros … but then it’ll be a heat race (and) qualifier format from then on into the features,” he added. “It’s open to everyone, and the grand prize will be the Chili Bowl ride.”
The second annual KKM Giveback Classic presented by TRD will feature non-winged micro sprints, as opposed to Open outlaw karts, following the success of the micro division during the TRD Micro Showdown at Millbridge last fall.
Micro sprints will also race regularly at Millbridge this season, competing seven times on Wednesday nights and also racing on multiple Saturdays at the Salisbury, N.C. dirt track as well.
The 2020 KKM Giveback Classic presented by TRD will be comprised of time trials, heat races, qualifying races and alphabet mains, leading up to a 67-lap, $5,000-to-win grand finale with the Chili Bowl seat on offer.
However, knowing that many participating drivers might not yet be at the minimum age threshold to compete at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals – drivers must be 16 or older to race at Tulsa Expo Raceway – Kunz and the Burnetts developed a contingency plan for that and other situations as well.
“Not everyone is eligible to race the Chili Bowl, and some guys might already have rides or won’t want the ride, so with that in mind we’re offering the $10,000 option for the winner to take if they decline the ride, in addition to the $5,000 base purse,” Kunz explained. “So this race could pay $15,000 to win if a driver decides to go that route.”
Jesse Colwell was the winner of the inaugural KKM Giveback Classic in 2018, and parlayed his victory into a full-season ride with KKM that netted him a POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League championship.
After a one-year layoff from helping to hand out a Chili Bowl ride, the Burnetts are eager to renew the tradition this fall and help to potentially change the life of one lucky racer.
“Jeremy and I are really excited for everything that Keith and everybody at TRD and Toyota have done for us,” said Millbridge Speedway co-promoter Ashly Burnett. “They’ve basically changed our race track and our lives, so we’re really honored and excited to be back with Keith again and excited to see what the micro sprint guys will do.
“We’re excited to showcase the micro sprint guys; we’ve always been outlaw kart people and we stick by them, but we’re looking forward to showcasing something different this fall as well.”
Langdon Sets Pace During Winternationals Qualifying
POMONA, Calif. – Shawn Langdon kicked off the season opener in style, grabbing the Top Fuel provisional No. 1 qualifier spot on Friday at the 60th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com after making the switch from Funny Car back to Top Fuel.
Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) also claimed provisional No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona during the first of 24 races on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.
Langdon knocked off Brittany Force during Q2 to claim the quickest run with a pass of 3.699-seconds at 322.42 mph in his DHL Toyota Top Fuel Dragster to kick off the season. Langdon is looking to start off the season strong after a two year hiatus in the Top Fuel class to run Funny Car. Langdon is chasing his third No. 1 qualifier at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, and 19th of his career.
“There are tracks you go to and it seems like everything just clicks. I could stage this thing in reverse and it seems like it just works out. There are tracks you go to and it feels like you fall out of bed awkwardly. Pomona is one of those tracks I feel like I’ve had good success at. I’m just excited about today. It’s a good start,” said Langdon. “Every run we’re making small little changes trying to get me more comfortable. It’s a big change going back from a Funny Car to a dragster. We feel confident right now. For Connie (Kalitta, owner and crew chief), I know he’s excited.”
Brittany Force follows close behind in second with a 3.706-second pass at 329.10 mph, with Leah Pritchett seeded in third after a 3.715-second pass at 324.75 mph.
Hagan is looking to continue the momentum from 2019, posting a 3.867-second run at 331.20 mph to grab the provisional No. 1 qualifying spot for Funny Car in his MOPAR/Pennzoil/Sandvik Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. If it holds, Hagan will grab his 37th career No. 1 qualifier and fifth at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Jack Beckman is currently seeded second with a 3.868-second pass at 326.95 mph, while defending Funny Car champion Robert Hight trails close behind in third with a 3.885-second run at 330.31 mph.
Pro Stock’s Jeg Coughlin Jr. sits in the provisional No. 1 qualifier spot with a 6.530-second run at 210.73 mph pass. If the position holds, this will be Coughlin’s 33rd career No. 1 qualifier. Close behind him in second place is Coughlin’s Elite Motorsports teammate and three-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders, who ran a 6.552 seconds at 210.70 mph. Kenny Delco follows close behind in third after running a 6.553-second pass at 210.60 mph.
OCALA, Fla. – If Tanner Thorson’s preliminary-night victory at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals wasn’t enough proof that he’s back to full song, Friday night’s race at Bubba Raceway Park was a dead giveaway.
Thorson, who has risen valiantly from injuries sustained in a highway accident last March, put that storyline to bed for good with an emphatic win during the season opener for the NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Series.
The Minden, Nev., native stormed past leader Buddy Kofoid on a lap-15 restart and never looked back en route to his 14th career USAC national midget triumph and first-career win at the Florida half-mile.
It was a runaway performance in the second half and a shot across the bow to the rest of the field, a message that Thorson is back – perhaps as good as he’s ever been.
“Man, this is good,” said Thorson in victory lane. “We’ve had a lot of speed here with this (No.) 19 car. I’ve got Lee Lindgren out here from California crew chiefing; he’s my dude man. He’s my best friend and I enjoy racing with him. He’s done so much for me. This whole car, with OilFire Whiskey coming on board for Chili Bowl and then this season, it’s been pretty special and allows us to get what we need for this thing to make it fast.
“This track’s pretty difficult to race on; it’s really technical, but in a good way,” Thorson added. “I can’t thank Bubba (Clem) and this whole track crew enough, because this track was really badass. I just knew I had to capitalize on that restart to get to the lead, and luckily we were able to do that. Now I’m looking forward to tomorrow night and seeing what we can do then.
“I want to give a big shout out to my dad, too. It’s his birthday today, so to win is pretty dang cool.”
Thorson had to come from fifth on the grid to reign victorious Friday night, with defending series champion Tyler Courtney leading the field to green from the pole alongside Jerry Coons Jr.
That outside lane prevailed on the initial start, with Coons jetting out to the early lead and playing masterful defense to keep Courtney behind him, but behind both of them was a charging Buddy Kofoid who was taking no prisoners in the opening laps.
Kofoid found speed on the cushion quickly, using it to blast past Courtney off turn four for second on the seventh lap, then quickly close in on Coons for the point position after that.
A similar high-side maneuver gave Kofoid the momentum he needed to work clear for the race lead off turn two, pouncing on the 11th circuit to assume command.
However, Thorson was closing behind him, and by the time the yellow flag waved for the first time with 14 laps scored, the 2016 USAC National Midget Series champion was the runner-up and smelled blood in the water.
After a spin-and-stall by Jesse Colwell at the base of turn two, racing resumed with Thorson lobbing a bomb on the restart to take control in turns one and two, leaving Kofoid to deal with a quickly-closing Chris Windom for the second half while the Hayward Motorsports No. 19 raced off into the night.
As Thorson extended his lead to more than a second, Windom eventually wrested runner-up honors from Kofoid, but could do little to close on the race lead and take a shot. Not even a final restart, set up by the slowing car of Robert Dalby at the exit of turn two, could keep Thorson from victory in the end.
He raced away by 1.969 seconds over the last seven laps, while Windom held off Kofoid for second.
“Obviously you want to come out and win the first race of the year, but we’ve been good all week so far. Tanner was just a little better than us there at the end,” Windom said. “I couldn’t get to him. It was like we were the same speed after that restart, and I just couldn’t quite do anything to gain on him so I could make a move on him. And then when we got to lap cars, it hurt him one car and I’d get hurt the next car. So we kind of just stayed in the same spot.
“Hats off to those guys, though, because they were good.”
Courtney faded to fourth at the checkered flag, followed by Cannon McIntosh, Zeb Wise, fast qualifier Kevin Thomas Jr., Jerry Coons Jr., Daison Pursley and Andrew Layser.
To view complete race results, advance to the next page.
Schatz Denies Schuchart In World Of Outlaws Kickoff
BARBERVILLE, Fla. – There were two beaming faces on the Volusia Raceway Park frontstretch following Friday night’s 30-lap World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series feature.
Both winner Donny Schatz and runner-up Logan Schuchart were stoked by the crowd pleasing battle they’d just staged, though Schatz got the edge to win the first Outlaw feature of the new year.
Schuchart got the drop on polesitter Schatz on the initial break, then lost the lead and had to wrestle it back from the perennial championship contender.
With the white flag close at hand, Schuchart seemed headed for victory, but as happens so often in sprint car racing, second was the place to be.
“He set me up just right,” said a grinning Schuchart. “If I had to pick somebody I didn’t want behind me at the end of the race, I’d choose him. But this was our best finish here ever and a great race with one of the best racers of all time, so we’re happy.
“They reworked the track before the feature and it was so slick in spots that I almost spun out,” Schuchart noted. “I saved it, but even when I was leading all those laps, I knew nothing is ever wrapped up with Donny behind me.”
After the Pennsylvanian led the opening lap in his grandfather Bobby Allen’s Drydene No. 1a, Schatz drove right around him in turn two the next time around and the huge crowd packed into the speedway’s new high-rise grandstand figured the Advance Auto Parts No. 15 was headed right to victory lane.
Schuchart thought differently, though. When Schatz hit traffic on lap five, he began closing. Two laps later, he drove under the leader as they exited turn four of the Florida half-mile.
Behind the lead duo, Sweet had moved from sixth to third and before the lap counter hit 10 he was all over Schatz for second. He got even a few times but lost his momentum when a harmless spin by Chad Kemenah on lap 13 brought out the first yellow.
With a return to green, Schuchart again drove away from the field and was back lapping the tailenders by lap 18, with Schatz, Sweet, Parker Price-Miller and Kerry Madsen running behind him.
As Schatz always does, he turned up the wick when the lap counter hit 20. He first caught Schuchart, then started diving inside him as they hit the turns.
Nothing worked until lap 27, when Schuchart filled the lower groove as they hit turn four and Schatz sailed around him coming to the stripe and drove away.
“He was good in the middle and I slid him once and didn’t make it,” explained Schatz. “I guess I lost my bearings there for a while, but I got going, got up behind him and started trying different parts of the track. That’s what you’re supposed to do.
“I finally found the right spot, and it worked out for us.”
Sweet, who had a win and a second during the All Stars segment of the DIRTcar Nationals in Kasey Kahne’s NAPA No. 49, had to settle for third.
“We were trying hard, but they were too,” said Sweet. “We just needed to be a little better. The track has been good two of the three nights so far, and it was really fast tonight.”
Price-Miller was fourth after trading the spot back and forth with fast-timer David Gravel, up from seventh. Gravel crossed fifth ahead of Madsen, Carson Macedo, Daryn Pittman, Tim Shaffer in Tony Stewart’s No. 14 and Thursday night winner Aaron Reutzel.
Lucas Wolfe claimed the star-studded B-main.
To view complete race results, advance to the next page.
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
